Thursday, October 26, 2006

Sugar-Free, Bad News for Dogs

With Halloween so close we are hearing more and more about ways to keep your pets safe during the witching season. Of course, most dog owners already know the dangers of chocolate, but some are still not aware of the dangers of a sweetener called Xylitol.

The AVMA has warned us in the past of the dangerous, toxic effects this sweetener can have on dogs, but still the cases of Xylitol poisoning more than doubled from 2004 to 2005 and the 2006 statistics are on the rise.

As Xylitol becomes more and more prevalent in everyday items such as sugar-free chewing gum, candy, baked goods, even toothpaste, so do the cases of unsuspecting, hungry dogs getting a hold of the substance. While earlier warnings concentrated on large doses of the ingredient, it is now reported that dogs may be harmed by even lesser amounts.

Don't be fooled by its name, Xylitol is not an uncommon substance. It can be found in much of the food in your home -- check the ingredients. For example, many chewing gum brands these days tout that they are sugar-free. Good for us, not so good for our furry friends. These sugar-free sticks of gum are not necessarily Xylitol-free.

So, as Halloween approaches, be diligent about keeping ALL candy, not just the chocolate, out of Fido's reach.

For more information and tips on keeping your pets safe at Halloween please visit:

Halloween Safety for Pets from AWLA

Tips to Keep Pets Safe from Tricks and Treats from HSUS

Halloween Safety from About.com

Monday, October 23, 2006

The Poop on a Cool Product

Has your dog ever had a case of the runs? If you own (are a guardian of) a dog it's a good chance the answer is yes. If you live in one of many communities that, by law, you are required to pick up after your pet or if you are visiting your local dog park, what exactly do you do when your pooch's poop is less than pickupable?

It's not a pretty site, or smell. You've got one hand in your baggie and the other crossing your fingers hoping there are no holes in the bag. You attempt to pick it all up but it sticks to the blades of the grass that surround it. What do you do? Do you leave the mess and hope no one saw or do you begin to pull at the grass, leaving a gaping hole of dirt?

POOP-FREEZE(TM) just might be the answer. This product claims to instantly freezes the poop to harden the surface for easy pick up. Unfortunately, your local pet stores don't seem to be carrying this product yet, but it is available for online orders for $9.95 to $14.95 plus shipping.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Managing Allergies to Cats
(for less than $5000)

Who says money can't buy you love? Now, cat lovers who are affected by allergies can buy a designer, "hypoallergenic" cat to the tune of $3,950 plus $900 for shipping and handling. For some this could be their dream come true. For the thousands of homeless cats in animal shelters this doesn't sound like very good news.

I don't have pet allergies but I do suffer from seasonal allergies and manage them, just like millions of people do each year. My point is that it is possible to still adopt one of the thousands of sweet, adorable homeless cats in our shelters and rescues and manage your allergies without having to fork over thousands of dollars for a designer cat.

You can start by keeping your feline companion out of your bed and out of your bedroom altogther. How about purchasing special air filters? These may cost a bit but may also help to manage other allergens such as dust mites. These are just a few of the steps you can take to make living with Fluffy a pleasure. (See links below for more tips on managing pet allergies.)

While some say there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat, most animal shelters and rescues will help you find an animal that may have less of an effect on you. It is not unusual, when you have met a cat or dog in a shelter, to ask shelter staff to take a towel and rub it over the pet, then take the towel home and spend some time with the pet's scent and dander. Some even opt to test drive the dander by sleeping with the towel.

Of course, this is not a guarantee that you will not suffer from allergies when you take this pet home, but, as with all animals, even these new designer cats, there is never any guarantee of anything, from allergies to behavior to health.

And once you have adopted your furry feline friend, if you still want to part with your savings, please consider a donation to your local animal shelter, where $5000 could spay or neuter almost 100 cats or purchase 16,000 pounds of pet food to feed hungry, homeless animals.

Visit the following sites for further reading on how to manage your pet allergies:

Keep the cat but reduce those allergy symptoms

Quick tips for minimizing cat dander

Coping With Pets in the Home

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

No Pet Left Behind?

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, President Bush has signed a bill that will require states to include pets in their evacuation plans in case of a natural disaster, or risk losing federal money.

During Hurricane Katrina the rest of the country watched as so many people were left behind to endure the destruction of what is now considered the *deadliest hurricane in the US in 80 years (*Fritz Institute). It was tragic, and now, I find it even more tragic to know that *44% of those who chose to remain did so because they did not want to leave their pets behind (*Fritz Institute). 44% that could have found safety had rescue agencies allowed them to bring their family pets along during evacuation.

Well, hats off to this administration for taking our furry-friends into consideration! Every pet-friendly family should consider their pets in case of emergency and fortunately the welfare of all loved-ones is finally being considered.

For more information on including your pets in your disaster plans, visit the Humane Society of the United States and American Veterinary Medical Association.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Guest Post from Rex the Dog

In 1999, In Defense of Animals, an animal rights organization, started a campaign to replace the term "pet owner" with "pet guardian," nationwide. Since, the campaign has made tons of friends and certain city municipal codes have been revised with the updated term.

Not everyone is sold on the idea but, hey, if it's gonna make my owners, err, guardians, let me sleep inside at night, take me to the vet for regular check ups and vaccinations, and take me for walks each day, I'm all for it! In turn, I promise not to sue them for not refreshing my water regularly, feeding me dry food when I much prefer the wet gooey stuff that melts in my mouth, or not giving me frosty paws EVERY night.

Could this be another turning point in animal welfare? What was the first? Refering to local animal shelters as "shelters" rather than "pounds," of course. Pound, from the term impound, as in "we're gonna impound that dog in a dirty cage without any human contact, walks or care," is thankfully gone, for the most part. Now we use the term shelter, as in "we're gonna give that dog shelter in a clean run with lots of love, walks and care until we are able to locate his owner or find him a new home." Whew, glad that change went national!

So, if changing the way you people speak will change the way you act towards me, I say, why stop there? From now on I'm no longer Rex, the dog -- call me Rex, the Canine American.

Woof!